Academy sponsor led · Cambridgeshire

The Shade Primary School

2–11Ages
250Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139555URN

The Shade, Soham, Ely, CB7 5DE · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

1.2 above Cambridgeshire median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cambridgeshire

85 applications for 29 places · 8th of 162 in Cambridgeshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

55%met the expected standard

Cambridgeshire 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 15 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.9applications per place, Reception

1.2 above Cambridgeshire median (1.8) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

85 applications · 29 places offered · 35 named it first

2026 2.9; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2025 2.8; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2024 2.4; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2023 2.8; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2022 2.5; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2021 2.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2020 2.9; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2019 3.3; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2018 2.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2017 3.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2016 3.3; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2015 2.2; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2014 3.1; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Cambridgeshire median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Cambridgeshire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	29	85	2.9	35	1.21
Sep 2025	29	80	2.8	43	1.48
Sep 2024	29	70	2.4	34	1.17
Sep 2023	30	85	2.8	41	1.37
Sep 2022	29	71	2.5	39	1.34
Sep 2021	25	67	2.7	22	0.88
Sep 2020	30	87	2.9	33	1.10
Sep 2019	30	100	3.3	46	1.53
Sep 2018	29	79	2.7	39	1.34
Sep 2017	30	111	3.7	54	1.80
Sep 2016	30	100	3.3	49	1.63
Sep 2015	60	132	2.2	60	1.00
Sep 2014	30	92	3.1	30	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 81% · Writing 65% · Maths 81% → all three 55% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard55%132nd of 195 in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard81%

Cambridgeshire 78% England 78%

Higher standard45%

Cambridgeshire 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard65%

Cambridgeshire 70% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Cambridgeshire 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard81%

Cambridgeshire 76% England 77%

Higher standard35%

Cambridgeshire 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Cambridgeshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	55%	13%	107	107
2023/24	24%	0%	103	101
2022/23	59%	7%	107	103

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Shade Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.9applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
The Weatheralls Primary School
1.9 km · Cambridgeshire

Requires improvement2023

1.3applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
St Andrew's CofE Primary School
2.7 km · Cambridgeshire

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Little Thetford CofE Primary School
5.5 km · Cambridgeshire

2026

2.0applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Isleham Church of England Primary School
6.1 km · Cambridgeshire

2026

1.7applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Fordham CofE Primary School
6.4 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2023

2.1applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Stretham Community Primary School
7.0 km · Cambridgeshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.4applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Spring Meadow Infant School
7.1 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2024

1.3applications per place
Ely St Mary's CofE Junior School
7.2 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2023

61%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139555 · 873/2008
Trust: Anglian Learning
Capacity: 472 pupils · 250 on roll
Free school meals: 16.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2013
Address: The Shade, Soham, Ely, CB7 5DE
Local authority: Cambridgeshire · East Cambridgeshire

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources